The forest was fading behind him, but its presence clung to Asher like a shadow. His legs felt like lead as he trudged toward the inn, each step unsteady. Twilight had settled over Raven's Peak, the deep purples and oranges of the sky melting into darkness. The faint glow of the inn's porch light cut through the gloom, guiding him like a lighthouse in the storm.
Van was there, leaning against the porch railing with his usual cigarette. The ember flared briefly as he took a slow drag. His sharp eyes flicked to Asher, his expression unreadable as always.
"You're back early," Van said, his voice low and calm. "You've been gone less than an hour."
Asher didn't respond immediately. His breaths were shallow, his body trembling as if he'd run a marathon. He stopped at the bottom of the steps, his hands resting on his knees to steady himself.
"I need to leave," he said finally, the words coming out harsher than he intended.
Van straightened, his cigarette balanced between his fingers. "Leave?" His brow furrowed. "You just got here."
"I can't explain it," Asher said, shaking his head as if trying to shake off a memory. "Something happened out there. Something… I wasn't ready for."
Van studied him for a moment, his sharp gaze cutting through the dim light. "What did you see?" he asked, his tone cautious.
Asher hesitated, the image of the blue-eyed wolf flashing in his mind, followed by the burning sensation on his arm. He pulled his sleeve down instinctively, covering the now-faint scratch. "I don't know how to describe it," he said finally. "It's like… something I don't have the words for yet."
Van exhaled a long stream of smoke, his gaze flicking to the dark line of trees in the distance. "The forest doesn't like people poking around and running off," he said, his voice soft but firm. "Whatever's out there… it doesn't let things go easy."
Asher nodded, swallowing hard. He turned toward his car, determined to put Raven's Peak behind him, at least for now. But as he took a step forward, his vision blurred. A wave of dizziness hit him like a punch to the gut.
His knees buckled.
"Asher!" Van's voice was sharp, cutting through the ringing in his ears.
Asher didn't feel himself fall, but he felt Van's hands catch him before he hit the ground. The world tilted violently, and everything went dark.
Van held him upright, his sharp gaze flicking over Asher's unconscious form. He leaned closer, his nose almost brushing against Asher's neck as he inhaled deeply. A faint crease appeared between his brows, and he muttered, "Strange… your scent… it wasn't her pack… but… still…?"
Asher's dream was vivid and suffocating.
The forest surrounded him, the trees twisting and warping under a pale, eerie moon. Shadows writhed like living things, and an unnatural chill seeped into his bones.
A low growl echoed through the darkness, primal and guttural. He turned, his heart hammering in his chest.
A massive werewolf stepped into the moonlight, its hulking figure towering over him. Its fur was as dark as the shadows it emerged from, and the pupils of its eyes were pitch black with a feral intensity.
It lunged.
Asher ran, his feet pounding against the ground as the beast's snarls grew louder behind him. The sound of claws raking against bark and earth filled his ears. No matter how fast he ran, it was always there, just a breath away.
The ground gave way beneath him, and he fell into an endless abyss. The werewolf's roar echoed in the darkness, and Asher awoke with a jolt.
Morning light streamed through the curtains, soft and golden. Asher sat upright, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The nightmare clung to him, the image of the werewolf burned into his mind.
His arm throbbed faintly.
He pushed back his sleeve, expecting to see the scratch from the wolf in the forest. Instead, he found smooth, unbroken skin.
"What the hell?" he muttered, running his fingers over the spot. It was as if the wound had never existed.
Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood and pulled on his jacket. The events of the previous day were a tangled mess in his mind, but one thing was clear: he needed answers, and Van was the only one who might have them.
The inn was eerily quiet. Van was gone.
Frustrated, Asher stepped outside into the morning air. The town was not as it was the day before. It was bustling now, but a nagging sense of unease lingered. People moved about with purpose, but their gazes avoided his, or worse, met him with thinly veiled hostility.
He spotted an man sitting on a wooden bench near the inn. The man leaned on a cane, watching the children play in the distance. Asher approached, hoping for answers.
"Excuse me," he said, keeping his tone polite. "I'm looking for Van. Have you seen him?"
The man looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Van? Haven't seen him since last night."
Asher frowned. "He didn't mention where he might be going?"
The man shook his head. "Van's not the type to explain himself. Comes and goes as he pleases. Why do you need him?"
Asher hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I just… I had some questions for him. About the forest."
The old man's expression hardened at the mention of the forest. "Best to leave that place alone, son," he said gruffly. "Van probably told you the same. Whatever's out there, it's none of your business."
Asher pressed on. "He seemed to know more than he was letting on. I just need "
"I said leave it," the man snapped, his voice firm. "You're not from here. You don't understand what you're messing with."
Asher clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Fine," he muttered, turning away.
Asher's frustration deepened when he reached his car and saw the flat tires. After questioning a few locals, he learned that the sheriff and town head the only ones with spare tires were out of town and wouldn't return for two days.
The villagers' weary gazes and unwelcoming demeanor only fueled his irritation. He stormed back to the inn, his thoughts racing.
Far from the town, on the peak of a rugged hill, a wolf stood against the wind. Its fur shimmered in the sunlight, and its piercing blue eyes scanned the horizon, fixed on the direction of Raven's Peak.
The wolf's nose twitched as it caught a faint scent on the breeze. Slowly, its body began to shift, bones cracking and muscles rippling as it transformed.
A woman stood where the wolf had been, her eyes a brilliant scarlet. She brushed her dark hair from her face, her lips curving into a faint smile.
"A new scent," she murmured, her voice soft but laced with intrigue. "Something… different."
Her gaze lingered on the distant town before she turned and disappeared into the trees.